Food serving station and associated appliances and methods

ABSTRACT

Food preparation apparatus and associated appliance modules and methods. Appliances modules can be selectively docked at docks of an appliance interface of a base. An appliance module includes a food container support surface movable between cooking and holding positions. An appliance module includes a receptacle having a holding well that can be selectively configured in a generally horizontal position or an inclined position.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority to and is a continuation of U.S.patent application Ser. No. 15/893,275, filed Feb. 9, 2018, now U.S.Pat. No. 10,743,715, which claims priority to and is a continuation ofPCT/IB2016/054836, filed Aug. 10, 2016, which claims priority to U.S.Provisional Patent Application No. 62/203,148, filed Aug. 10, 2015, allof which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties.

FIELD

The present disclosure generally relates to food preparation apparatusand methods, and more particularly to appliances and methods of usingappliances for food related tasks.

BACKGROUND

Many types of apparatus are used in the preparation and serving of food.In one example, a food serving station may be arranged to have anemployee side and a customer side. A plurality of appliances may beprovided at the employee side for use in preparing food to be served tocustomers or to be stored for customer selection. For example, some suchappliances include cook tops, grills, griddles, steam tables, etc. Thearrangement of appliances at a food serving station can be disorganizedand not provide a professional appearance from the customer side.Moreover, at various times of the day, or for different days, theemployee may need different appliances for preparing different types offood.

SUMMARY

One aspect of the present invention relates to an appliance forpreparing food in a food container. The appliance includes a housingincluding an exterior having an upper surface. The appliance includes afood conditioning mechanism including a food container support surfaceand at least one food conditioning element. The food conditioningmechanism is operatively connected to the housing. The food containersupport surface is movable with respect to the housing. The at least onefood conditioning element is positioned for conditioning food in a foodcontainer when the food container is supported on the food containersupport surface. The food conditioning mechanism has a cooking positionwith respect to the housing for cooking food in a first food containersupported on the food container support surface. The food containersupport surface in the cooking position is positioned at about the sameelevation as said upper surface of the housing or higher than said uppersurface of the housing. The food conditioning mechanism has a holdingposition with respect to the housing different than the cookingposition. The food container support surface in the holding position ispositioned lower than the food container support surface when in thecooking position, the housing and the food container support surface inthe holding position forming a receptacle defining a food containerreceiving space below said upper surface for receiving a second foodcontainer for holding food in the second food container at a desiredtemperature.

In another aspect of the invention, a method of preparing food with anappliance includes supporting a first food container on a food containersupport surface. The food container support surface is located in acooking position with respect to a housing of the appliance. Theappliance is operated to cook food in the first food container while thefood container is supported on the food container support surface in thecooking position. The method includes lowering the food containersupport surface with respect to the housing from the cooking position toa holding position to form a food container receiving space having alower portion bounded by the food container support surface and at leastone side portion bounded by the housing. The method includes positioninga second food container in the food container receiving space.

In another aspect of the invention, an appliance for holding food in afood container at a desired holding temperature includes a housing and areceptacle operatively supported by the housing. The receptacle has afood container receiving space sized for receiving a food container. Alower portion of the food container receiving space and at least oneside portion of the food container receiving space are bounded by thereceptacle. The receptacle includes at least one food conditioningelement for holding food in the food container at a desired holdingtemperature when the food container is received in the food containerreceiving space. The receptacle is movable with respect to the housingbetween a generally horizontal position and an inclined position forselectively holding the food container in the generally horizontalposition and the inclined position. The receptacle in the inclinedposition has a first end positioned higher than an opposite second end.The at least one food conditioning element is movable with thereceptacle between the generally horizontal position and the inclinedposition.

In another aspect of the present invention, a method of holding food inan appliance at a desired holding temperature includes moving areceptacle of the appliance from a first position in a cavity of ahousing to an inclined position in the cavity of the housing. The methodincludes positioning a food container in a food container receivingspace of the receptacle. A bottom of the food container receiving spaceis bounded by the receptacle, and at least one side of the foodcontainer receiving space is bounded by the receptacle. The methodincludes operating the appliance while the food container is in the foodcontainer receiving space and the receptacle is in the inclined positionto hold food in the food container at a desired holding temperature.

In yet another aspect of the present invention, an appliance apparatusfor preparing food includes a base and at least first and secondappliance modules. The base has an appliance module interface. Theappliance module interface includes at least first and second appliancemodule docks. Each appliance module dock defines an appliance moduledocking space and includes an appliance module support surface and atleast one dock utility connector. A first appliance module is docked atthe first appliance module dock. The first appliance module includes ahousing, a food conditioning device, and at least one appliance moduleutility connector. The first appliance module is supported by thesupport surface of the first appliance module dock. The at least oneappliance module utility connector is connected to the at least one dockutility connector. A second appliance module is docked at the secondappliance module dock. The second appliance module includes a housinghaving generally the same size and shape as the housing of the firstappliance module. The second appliance module includes a foodconditioning device and at least one food appliance utility connector.The second appliance module is supported by the support surface of thefirst appliance module dock. The at least one appliance module utilityconnector is connected to the at least one dock utility connector.

Other objects and features of the present invention will be in partapparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front perspective of a food preparation apparatus embodyingaspects of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a rear perspective of the food preparation apparatus of FIG.1;

FIG. 3 is another rear perspective of the food preparation apparatus,food appliance modules being removed from appliance module docks;

FIG. 4 is rear perspective of a food cooking/holding appliance module;

FIG. 5 is front perspective of the food cooking/holding appliancemodule;

FIG. 6 is a rear perspective similar to FIG. 4 but showing a cook top ofthe appliance module lowered to a holding position for forming a holdingwell;

FIG. 7 is a schematic section of the appliance module taken in a planeincluding line 7-7 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 8 is a schematic section of the appliance module taken in a planeincluding line 8-8 in FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is a rear perspective of a convertible holding appliance module;

FIG. 10 is a front perspective of the holding appliance module;

FIG. 11 is a view similar to FIG. 9 but showing a receptacle of theholding appliance module in an inclined position;

FIG. 12 is a schematic section of the appliance module taken in theplane including line 12-12 of FIG. 9; and

FIG. 13 is a schematic section of the appliance module taken in theplane including line 13-13 of FIG. 11.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding partsthroughout the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Referring to FIG. 1, a food serving station is designated generally bythe reference number 20. The food serving station can be referred tobroadly as a food preparation apparatus or food appliance apparatus. Thefood serving station 20 has a rear employee side 20A and a frontcustomer side 20B. It is contemplated that the food serving station 20could be used in a context in which an employee prepares food at therequest of a customer and serves the food to the customer, and/or inwhich the employee prepares food to be displayed for later selection bya customer. As will become apparent, the food serving station 20includes several features that make the station versatile in foodpreparation capabilities. As used herein, the term preparing food caninclude cooking food and/or holding food at a desired temperature. Thefood preparation apparatus 20 can take other forms without departingfrom the scope of the present invention.

The food serving station 20 generally includes a base 22, an applianceinterface 24 (FIG. 3), and a breath guard 26. The base 22 can bereferred to as a console or foundation. Referring to FIG. 2, the base 22comprises a cabinet (also numbered 22) having a lower storage cavity 30for storing food in a refrigerated, warmed, and/or ambient controlledenvironment. The cabinet 22 has another storage cavity 32 for housing atemperature control fluid bank (not shown) for supplying temperaturecontrol fluid to appliance modules at the appliance module interface 24,as described in further detail below.

The appliance module interface 24 is configured for receiving multipleappliance modules 36 for performing a variety of food preparation tasks.The appliance module interface 24 includes multiple appliance moduledocks 38 (FIG. 3). In the illustrated embodiment, five appliance moduledocks 38 are provided. The appliance modules 36 and appliance docks 38are modular in the sense that standard dimensions and connectioncomponents are used among the docks and modules such that any one of theappliance modules can be docked at any one of the docks to meet theemployee's needs for a particular day or day part.

The illustrated appliance module interface 24 includes a countertop 40(FIG. 3), portions of which can be referred to as appliance modulesupport surfaces corresponding to respective docks 38. The cabinet 22includes a shroud 42 comprising a front section 42A extending upwardfrom the countertop across a front side of the appliance moduleinterface 24 and side sections 42B extending upward from the countertopacross opposite left and right sides of the appliance module interface.Each dock 38 includes a docking space 44 (FIG. 3) bounded by associatedportions of the countertop 40 and shroud 42A, 42B. The docking spaces 44have open tops and open rear ends. The front section 42A of the shroudcan be referred to as forward portions of the base 22 associated withrespective docks 38 for concealing the front sides of the docking spaces44. Moreover, the side sections 42B of the shroud can be referred to asside portions of the base 22 associated with the end appliance moduledocks 38 for concealing sides of the end docking spaces 44. Desirably,the shroud sections 42A, 42B have a height about the same as theappliance modules 36 or slightly taller than the appliance modules. Asshown in FIG. 1, the configuration is such that the food serving station20 has an aesthetic appearance from the customer side 20B. The shroud 42can have other configurations without departing from the scope of thepresent invention. For example, the side sections 42B can be omitted.

The appliance interface 24 includes a plurality of utility connectors 48arranged in sets of utility connectors provided along the rear face ofthe front section 42A of the shroud. The sets of utility connectors 48are spaced at intervals corresponding to each of the docks 38. In theillustrated embodiment, each set of utility connectors 48 includes anelectrical power connector 48A (e.g., female socket), and first andsecond temperature control fluid connectors 48B, 48C (e.g., femalesockets). For example, the first temperature fluid control connector 48Bcan be an inlet connector for receiving fluid, and the secondtemperature fluid connector 48C can be an outlet connector fordelivering fluid. It will be appreciated that all of the temperaturefluid connectors 48B, 48C can be operatively connected to thetemperature fluid bank (e.g., a system including one or more suitabletanks, pumps, and/or compressors, etc.) for supplying heating and/orcooling temperature fluid (e.g., refrigerant, glycol, etc.) to appliancemodules 36 at the docks 38. Desirably, the fluid connectors are quickconnect/disconnect type connectors. For example, pushing the connectorstogether along a fluid flow axis of the connectors forms a connectionhaving a fluid tight seal, and the connectors can be readily pulledapart for disconnection.

As is now apparent, each of the docks 38 includes an appliance modulesupport surface 40, an appliance module docking space 44, an electricalpower utility connector 48A, and first and second fluid control utilityconnectors 48B, 48C. The appliance modules 36 and docks 38 can haveother forms without departing from the scope of the present invention.For example, other types, numbers, or combinations of utility connectorscan be provided.

The breath guard 26 extends around the upper end of the cabinet 22 abovethe front and side sections 42A, 42B of the shroud 42. Desirably, thebreath guard 26 includes one or more panels 50 of transparent ortranslucent material (e.g., glass or acrylic) permitting customers tosee the appliance modules. In particular, the breath guard 26 includesfirst and second front panels 50A, 50B at the customer side extendingbetween opposite sides of the cabinet 22 and opposite end panels 50C atthe ends of the cabinet. The first front panel 50A is selectivelypivotable from an inclined position (e.g., FIGS. 1 and 3) permittingcustomers to access food appliance modules 36 behind the first frontpanel to an upstanding configuration (not shown) substantially blockingcustomers from accessing the appliance modules behind the first frontpanel. In the inclined position, there is a gap below the first frontpanel 50A permitting customers to reach under the panel to access foodin appliance modules. As will become apparent, in some cases theemployee may want to display food for customers to more readily accessthemselves.

In the illustrated embodiment, the docked appliance modules 36 include aconvertible cooking/holding appliance module 36A, a griddle appliancemodule 36B, and three convertible holding modules 36C. It will beappreciated that the employee may choose such an arrangement for cookingfood at the cooking/holding appliance module 36A and/or the griddleappliance module 36B, and for storing food to be cooked and/or storingcooked food in the convertible food holding modules 36C. It will beunderstood that the same set of appliance modules 36 could be arrangedin other orders along the appliance module interface 24, and theappliance modules could be replaced with other appliance modules (notshown). The appliance modules 36 can be referred to individually asappliances.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, each appliance module 36 includes a housing60, a food conditioning device 62 (e.g., cook top device 62A, griddledevice 62B, holding device 62C, etc.), and at least one appliance moduleutility connector 64 (FIGS. 5 and 10). The housings include top, bottom,left, right, front, and rear walls. The housings have substantially thesame shape and size for modularity. Desirably, the food conditioningdevice 62 is arranged with respect to the housing 60 to provide an foodconditioning area of the conditioning device at the top of the housing.For example, food conditioning areas of the cook top device 62A, thegriddle device 62B, and holding device 62C are accessible at the top ofthe housings. When an appliance module 36 is docked at a dock 38, thebottom wall of the appliance module is supported on the support surface40 of the dock. In addition, the at least one utility connector 64 ofthe appliance module is connected to a utility connector 48 of the dock38. The top walls of the appliance modules 36 are positioned at aboutcountertop height (i.e., between about 30 and 48 inches from the floor)to provide a convenient working elevation for the employee. Desirably,the top walls of the modules 36 are a short distance lower than the topof the shroud 42. The appliance modules 36 include controls 66 (FIGS. 2,4, 6, 9), each including a display 66A and a user input 66B, mounted onthe front walls of the appliance modules. The utility connectors 64 canvary for each appliance module. For example, as explained below withreference to FIGS. 4-8, some utility appliance modules may include onlyan electrical power utility connector 64A, and with reference to FIGS.9-13, other utility modules may include additional utility connectors,such as fluid utility connectors 64B, 64C corresponding to the fluidconnectors 48C, 48D of the docks 38. Desirably, the appliance modules 36are plug-and-play modules in the sense that they can be readilyinstalled at the docks 38 and used for preparing food. For example, anappliance module 36 can be supported on the support surface 40 of a dock38 and then slid forward toward the customer side 20B to engage andoperatively connect the connectors 48, 64 with each other. Otherarrangements, numbers, and types of connectors, such as connectors atends of external flexible cords, etc., can be used without departingfrom the scope of the present invention.

Referring now to FIGS. 4-8, the cooking/holding convertible appliancemodule 36A will be described in closer detail. Generally speaking, theappliance module 36A includes a housing 60, a food conditioning devicein the form of a cook top 62A (broadly “food conditioning mechanism”), acontrol 66, and a utility connector 64A (FIG. 5). The housing 60includes top, bottom, left, right, and front and rear walls defining anexterior of the housing. The control 66 is mounted on the rear wall ofthe housing. The control comprises a user interface including a display66A and a user input 66B. The utility connector 64A comprises a maleplug for mating electrical power connection with a female electricalsocket 48A of an appliance module dock 38. Other types of utilityconnectors can be used without departing from the scope of the presentinvention.

The cook top 62A includes a shell 72 and a food conditioning element 74.The shell 72 has an interior in which the food conditioning element 74is housed. The shell 72 includes an upper food container support surface72A. In the illustrated embodiment, the food conditioning element 74 isschematically shown as a copper coil configured for induction heating offood containers supported on the food container support surface 72A.Other types of food conditioning elements (e.g., heating and/or coolingelements) can be used without departing from the scope of the presentinvention.

An opening 60A in the top wall of the housing 60 provides access to acavity 60B in the housing in which the cook top 62A is movable. The topwall of the housing 60 has an upper surface 60C surrounding the opening60A. The cook top 62A is operatively connected to the housing 60 by anactuation mechanism 78 including a scissors support 78A including twosets of legs (only one set being shown) and a linear actuator 78B havingan extendable and retractable arm 78C. The linear actuator 78B moves alower portion of one of the legs of the scissors support 78A to adjustan elevation of the cook top 62A in the cavity 60B in the housing. Thearrangement is such that the cook top 62A is movable by the actuationmechanism 78 between a raised cooking position (e.g., FIGS. 4, 5, and 7)and a lowered holding position (e.g., FIGS. 6 and 8), as explained infurther detail below. For example, the user can actuate the actuationmechanism 78 via user commands at the user input 66B.

In the cooking position, the cook top 62A is in a suitable position withrespect to the housing 60 for cooking food. Generally speaking, a foodcontainer C1 such as a skillet (e.g., frying pan), griddle pan, or potcould be supported on the food container support surface 72A for cookingfood therein. Desirably, when the cook top 62A is in the cookingposition, the food container support surface 72A is at about the sameelevation as the upper surface 60C of the housing 60 or higher than theupper surface of the housing. As used herein, the term about the sameelevation as the upper surface of the housing means within the inclusiverange of one inch higher than the elevation of the upper surface 60C ofthe housing 60 and one inch lower than the upper surface of the housing.Other ranges can be used without departing from the scope of the presentinvention. For example, the food container support surface 72A in thecooking position could be in the inclusive range of plus or minus about0.75 inch, plus or minus about 0.50 inch, or plus or minus about 0.25inch, etc. of the elevation of the upper surface 60C of the housing 60without departing from the scope of the present invention. In theillustrated embodiment, the food container support surface 72A in thecooking position is generally flush (i.e., within an inclusive range ofabout plus or minus ⅛ inch) with the upper surface of the housing.Desirably, in the cooking position, a space circumscribing theperipheral edge of the food container support surface 72A is free ofobstruction by the housing 60 such that handles of the food containersC1 are not obstructed from extending outboard of the food containersupport surface and the housing does not obstruct the food containersfrom being moved laterally. For example, a space extending outboardaround the peripheral edge of the food container support surface 72Aabout 1 inch above the food container support surface is desirably freeof obstruction by the housing 60.

In the food holding position, the food container support surface 72A islower than the position of the food container support surface in thecooking position. In the holding position, the housing 60 and the foodcontainer support surface 72A form a receptacle defining a foodcontainer receiving space 74 below the upper surface 60C of the housing60. The arrangement is such that a food container such as a rectangularpan C2 having a peripheral flange or rim can be dropped down into thefood container receiving space 74 for holding food in the pan at adesired temperature. A bottom portion of the food container receivingspace 74 is bounded by the food container support surface 72A, andfront, rear, left, and right side portions of the food containerreceiving space are bounded by the housing 60. More specifically, asillustrated in FIG. 6, the food container support surface 72A forms thebottom wall of the receptacle, and inner upstanding forward, rear, left,and right walls 60D-60G of the housing 60 define respective the front,rear, left, and right side walls of the receptacle. The food containerC2 is receivable through the opening 60A in the top wall of the housinginto the food receiving space 74 of the receptacle. As shown in FIG. 8,the opening 60A is sized such that an edge margin of the upper surface60C extending around the opening underlies the flange of the pan whenthe pan is received in the food container receiving space 74. Forexample, as illustrated, the flange of the pan C2 can rest on theperipheral edge and/or the bottom of the pan can rest on the foodcontainer support surface 72A.

It will be appreciated that the holding position shown in FIGS. 6 and 8can be a first holding position intended for a pan C2 having a firstheight, and the cook top 62A can be moved and supported by the actuationmechanism 78 in various other holding positions corresponding to panshaving other heights. For example, one such alternate holding positioncould locate the food container support surface 72A intermediate thecooking position and the holding position shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 foraccommodating a pan having a shorter height.

As is now apparent, a user can selectively position the cook top 62A inthe cooking position for cooking food and selectively position the cooktop in the holding position for dropping a pan C2 of food down into thefood container holding space 74 for holding the food in the pan at adesired holding temperature using the cook top. For example, a user cansupport a first container C1 on the food container support surface 72Aand operate the cook top 62A in the cooking position for cooking food,and then lower the cook top to the holding position to hold food in asecond container C2 in the food container receiving space 74 at adesired holding temperature by operating the cook top. Moreover, theholding position could be used for ambient holding. The appliance module36A provides a holding configuration in which the open top of the pan C2holding the food is at about the same elevation of the upper surface 60Cof the housing 60 to provide the appearance of a traditional drop inholding pan. Other configurations can be used without departing from thescope of the present invention.

Referring now to FIGS. 9-13, the convertible holding appliance module36C will be described in closer detail. Generally speaking, theappliance module 36C includes a housing 60, a food conditioning devicein the form of a holding device 62C (e.g., holding well), a control 66,and multiple utility connectors 64. The housing 60 includes top, bottom,left, right, and front and rear walls defining an exterior of thehousing. The control 66 is mounted on the rear wall of the housing. Thecontrol includes a user interface including a display 66A and a userinput 66B. As shown in FIG. 10, a first utility connector 64A on thefront wall of the housing 60 comprises a male plug for making a matingelectrical power connection with a female electrical socket 48A of anappliance module dock 38. Second and third utility connectors 64A, 64Bcomprise male fluid connectors (e.g., inlet and outlet connectors)configured for mating connection with respective female fluid connectors48A, 48B of an appliance module dock 38. Other types of utilityconnectors can be used without departing from the scope of the presentinvention.

The food holding device 62C is configured for holding food in a foodcontainer at a desired holding temperature. Desirably, the food holdingdevice includes a receptacle 82 and at least one food conditioningelement 84. In the illustrated embodiment, the food holding device 62Cincludes several food conditioning elements 84. The receptacle 82includes a shell having inner and outer portions 82A, 82B defining aninterior therebetween in which the food conditioning elements 84 arehoused. The inner portion 82A of the shell defines a food containerreceiving space 86 sized and shaped for receiving a food container C2such as a rectangular pan having a peripheral rim or flange. Inparticular, forward, rear, left, right, and lower exterior wall surfaces90A-90E of the inner shell portion 82A bound respective front, rear,left, right, and bottom sides of the food container receiving space 86.

In the illustrated embodiment, multiple food conditioning elements 84are provided for maintaining food at a desired holding temperature. Foodconditioning elements 84 are provided at the bottom and at the front,back, left, and right sides of the food container receiving space 86. Inparticular, the food conditioning elements 84, shown schematically inFIGS. 12 and 13, include fluid coils 84A and electric heating elements84B underlying the forward, rear, left, right, and lower exterior wallsurfaces 90A-90E of the inner shell portion 82A. The coils 84A areoperatively connected to the first and second fluid connectors 64B, 64Cfor routing temperature control fluid (e.g., refrigerant or glycol,etc.) through the coils for conditioning the food. For example, thecoils 84A may be pillow plate coils. The electric heating elements 84Bcan be provided in addition to or instead of the coils 84A. For examplethe electric heating elements 84B can be electric resistance heatingelements. Other types, numbers, and arrangements of food conditioningelements can be provided without departing from the scope of the presentinvention. Desirably, suitable insulation 92 backs the food conditioningelements 84 for increasing the effectiveness of the elements inmaintaining a desired holding temperature of the food.

The holding appliance module 36C is convertible in the sense that thereceptacle 82 can be configured in a position intended for the employeeto view and access food held in the receptacle, or the receptacle can beconfigured in a position intended for customers to view and/or accessfood held in the receptacle. The receptacle 82 is positioned in a cavity94 in the housing 60 and is movable in the cavity between a generallyhorizontal position (e.g., FIGS. 9, 10, and 12) and an inclined position(e.g., FIGS. 11 and 13). The upper wall of the housing 60 defines anupper surface 60C and has an opening 60A. The opening opens into thecavity 94 in the housing 60 in which the receptacle 82 is received.Desirably, in the generally horizontal position, a peripheral rim 82C ofthe receptacle 82 is at about the same elevation (i.e., in an inclusiverange of plus or minus 1 inch) as the upper surface 60C of the housing60. In the illustrated embodiment, the peripheral rim 82C of thereceptacle 82 is generally flush (i.e., in an inclusive range of plus orminus ⅛ inch) with the upper surface 60C. For example, the generallyhorizontal position may be used when a person on the employee side 20Adesires to have a holding location for himself to view and access (e.g.,in preparing food products to serve to customers), and the inclinedposition can be used when the employee desires to provide customers witha holding location for them to view and/or access. The food conditioningelements 84 are carried by the receptacle 82 for movement with thereceptacle between the generally horizontal position and the inclinedposition. The receptacle 82 in the inclined position has its rear endpositioned higher than its opposite front end and higher than the uppersurface 60C of the housing 60. For example, the receptacle 82 can beinclined at an angle in an inclusive range of about 15 degrees to about40 degrees with respect to horizontal. When the receptacle 82 is in theinclined position, the front end of the receptacle is positioned atabout the same elevation (i.e., in an inclusive range of plus or minusone inch) as the upper surface 60C of the housing 60. Other arrangementscan be used without departing from the scope of the present invention.

The appliance module 36C includes a prop 98 configured for supportingthe receptacle 82 in the inclined position. In the illustratedembodiment, the prop 98 comprises a linear actuator including anextendable and retractable support member 98A (FIG. 13) that not onlysupports the rear end of the receptacle 82 in the inclined position butcan move the receptacle to the inclined position (e.g., via usercommands at the user input 66B). The front end of the receptacle 82 issupported in the generally horizontal and inclined positions by a hinge99 or other suitable support. The Other arrangements, types, and numbersof props can be used without departing from the scope of the presentinvention.

As is now apparent, the receptacle 82 can be moved between the generallyhorizontal position and the inclined position to meet the needs of theemployee for a particular day or day part. In the generally horizontalposition, the receptacle 82 is suited for holding a container C2 of foodfor the employee and/or customers to view and access. In the inclinedposition, the receptacle 82 is better suited for holding a container C2of food for customers to view and/or access. In either case, the foodconditioning elements 84 are capable of holding food in a food containerin the receptacle at a desired holding temperature.

It will be appreciated that various aspects of the food preparationapparatus described herein can be modified without departing from thescope of the appended claims. For example, features may be omitted orhave other forms without departing from the scope of the presentinvention. Moreover, it will be appreciated that the dimensions notedherein are provided by way of example without limitation.

When introducing elements of the present invention or the preferredembodiment(s) thereof, the articles “a”, “an”, “the”, and “said” areintended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms“comprising”, “including”, and “having” are intended to be inclusive andmean that there may be additional elements other than the listedelements.

As various changes could be made in the above constructions, products,and methods without departing from the scope of the invention, it isintended that all matter contained in the above description and shown inthe accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and notin a limiting sense.

Applicant believes various ornamental features of apparatus andcomponents thereof disclosed herein to be patentable and reserves theright to pursue design patent protection in a continuation or divisionalapplication. For example, portions of the base, portions of one or moreof the appliance modules, and/or portions of the breath guard, togetherin various combinations or and/or individually, having the dimensionsshown or with indeterminate dimensions, are believed to be protectable.In one such combination, an exposed outer profile of one or moreappliance modules with one or more portions of the base is believed tobe patentable.

What is claimed is:
 1. An appliance for holding food in a food containerat a desired holding temperature, the appliance comprising: a housing, areceptacle operatively supported by the housing, the receptacle having afood container receiving space sized for receiving a food container, alower portion of the food container receiving space and at least oneside portion of the food container receiving space being bounded by thereceptacle, the receptacle including at least one food conditioningelement for holding food in the food container at a desired holdingtemperature when the food container is received in the food containerreceiving space, wherein the receptacle is movable with respect to thehousing between a generally horizontal position and an inclined positionfor selectively holding the food container in the generally horizontalposition and the inclined position, the receptacle in the inclinedposition having a first end positioned higher than an opposite secondend, the at least one food conditioning element being movable with thereceptacle between the generally horizontal position and the inclinedposition.
 2. An appliance as set forth in claim 1, wherein the at leastone food conditioning element is carried by the receptacle for movementwith the receptacle to the inclined position.
 3. An appliance as setforth in claim 2, wherein the receptacle includes a shell having aninterior, and the at least one food conditioning element is housed inthe interior of the shell.
 4. An appliance as set forth in claim 1,wherein the receptacle is positioned in a cavity in the housing andmovable in said cavity between said horizontal and inclined positions.5. An appliance as set forth in claim 4, further comprising a propconfigured for supporting the housing in the inclined position.
 6. Anappliance as set forth in claim 1, wherein the at least one foodconditioning element is configured for cooling.
 7. An appliance as setforth in claim 1, wherein the at least one food conditioning element isconfigured for heating.
 8. An appliance as set forth in claim 1, whereinthe at least one food conditioning element comprises a coil configuredfor routing temperature control fluid through the coil for holding thefood in the food container at a desired holding temperature.
 9. Anappliance as set forth in claim 8, wherein the coil is positioned in aside of the receptacle for temperature conditioning a side of the foodcontainer receiving space.
 10. An appliance as set forth in claim 9,wherein the coil is a first coil and the at least one food conditioningcomprises a second coil in a bottom of the receptacle for temperatureconditioning a bottom of the food container receiving space.
 11. Anappliance as set forth in claim 1, wherein the housing has an uppersurface, and wherein a first end of the receptacle is higher than theupper surface of the housing when the receptacle is in the inclinedposition.
 12. An appliance as set forth in claim 11, wherein a secondend of the receptacle opposite the first end is positioned at about thesame elevation as the upper surface of the housing when the receptacleis in the inclined position.
 13. An appliance as set forth in claim 11,wherein the housing includes an upper wall defining the upper surface,the upper wall having an opening in which the receptacle is received inthe inclined position.
 14. An appliance as set forth in claim 1, whereinthe at least one food conditioning element comprises a first foodconditioning element underlying a bottom of the food container receivingspace and a second food conditioning element at a side of the foodcontainer receiving space.
 15. An appliance as set forth in claim 1,further comprising a user interface having a display, the display beingpositioned on the housing toward a first end of the housing, thereceptacle in the inclined position inclining upward in a directiontoward said first end of the housing.
 16. A method of holding food in anappliance at a desired holding temperature, the method comprising:moving a receptacle of the appliance from a first position in a cavityof a housing to an inclined position in the cavity of the housing,positioning a food container in a food container receiving space of thereceptacle, a bottom of the food container receiving space being boundedby the receptacle and at least one side of the food container receivingspace being bounded by the receptacle, operating the appliance while thefood container is in the food container receiving space and thereceptacle is in the inclined position to hold food in the foodcontainer at a desired holding temperature.
 17. A method as set forth inclaim 16, wherein moving the receptacle to the inclined positioncomprises moving at least one food conditioning element carried by saidreceptacle to said inclined position.
 18. A method as set forth in claim16, wherein the first position is a generally horizontal position, andthe method further comprises moving the receptacle from the inclinedposition back to the generally horizontal position.
 19. A method as setforth in claim 18, wherein the receptacle is moved to the inclinedposition to support the food container in the food container receivingspace for customers on a first side of the appliance to view and accessthe food in the food container, the receptacle in the inclined positionextending downward toward the first side of the appliance, and whereinthe receptacle is positioned in the generally horizontal position for anemployee on a second side of the appliance opposite the first side toview and access the food in the food container.
 20. An applianceapparatus for preparing food, the appliance apparatus comprising: a basehaving an appliance module interface, the appliance module interfaceincluding at least first and second appliance module docks, eachappliance module dock defining an appliance module docking space andincluding an appliance module support surface and at least one dockutility connector, a first appliance module docked at the firstappliance module dock, the first appliance module including a housing, afood conditioning device, and at least one appliance module utilityconnector, the first appliance module being supported by the supportsurface of the first appliance module dock, the at least one appliancemodule utility connector being connected to the at least one dockutility connector; and a second appliance module docked at the secondappliance module dock, the second appliance module including a housinghaving generally the same size and shape as the housing of the firstappliance module, a food conditioning device, and at least one foodappliance utility connector, the second appliance module being supportedby the support surface of the first appliance module dock, the at leastone appliance module utility connector of the second appliance modulebeing connected to the at least one dock utility connector of the secondappliance module dock.